Reef Fish Heaven in the Solomon Islands

Want to dive on remote, pristine reefs with an abundance of fish species and no other divers in sight? The Solomon Islands is the place. The archipelago of 990 islands lies in the South Pacific Ocean just east of Papua New Guinea on the eastern edge of the Coral Triangle. The six main islands are volcanic in origin and are surrounded by barrier, patch, lagoon, and fringing reefs. Mangrove forests and seagrass beds are widespread. This highly variable marine habitat creates one of the most diverse coral reef ecosystems on the planet. 1,000+ fish species belonging to 82 families inhabit Solomon Island reefs, a fish diversity surpassed only by the reefs in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.

Soft coral reef scene in the Solomon Islands.

The dive industry in Solomon Islands is very limited.You won’t run into anyone underwater beside the people on your boat. Luckily, the islands are home to one of my favorite liveaboards – the MV Bilikiki. The Bilikiki is 125′ steel boat with comfortable layout. The crew is friendly, experienced and do their job well. The food is tasty. Throw in five dives a day and complete freedom underwater and you have the perfect platform to explore and photograph the underwater world.

Juvenile striped surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) are especially common on open ocean reef flats in less than 3 feet of water. This is one of my favorite Acanthurids.

I dove off the Bilikiki in November, which is spring in the Solomon Islands. The reefs were loaded with juvenile fish. I spent the daylight hours combing the underwater terrain for novel fish species and nights searching for fish larvae in the water column.

Fish larvae are interesting animals, especially the way they differ from juveniles in shape and color – even when they are just a few days before transformation. Many fish larvae are attracted to light at night. I use bright lights to lure these tiny fishes in for the photo.

The Solomon Islands are a heaven for fish photographers or anyone who appreciates a diversity of hard corals and fish, especially juvenile and larval fish. With light current on most dives, it’s easy to search for and photograph fish with a macro lens. I was able to add 94 new fish species to my database from this trip. Here are my favorite images from the Solomon Islands:

Bluestriped fangblenny (Plagiotemus rhinorrhynchos) larva on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands. Body length is about 2", which is much larger than most blennies at settlement.

An aggrevated white-spotted puffer (Arothron hispidus) larva on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands. The fish puffed up to about 1/2" in diamter after I accidentally touched it with my lens port.

White-spotted puffer (Arothron hispidus) larva on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.

Surgeonfish larva about to settle on a reef in the Solomon Islands.

Peacock flounder (Bothus mancus) juvenile on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands. Note both eyes are on the same side of the body - hence the fish is considered a juvenile, despite still being pelagic.

Lizardfish larva on a bonfire dive in the Solomon Islands.

Basslet larva (Liopropoma sp.) showing off its very elongate second dorsal fin spine. The banner distracts potential predators from the body of the larva. It might also function in predator deception, by increasing the apparent size of the larva.

Wassinki cardinalfish (Apogon wassinki).

Pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion) in the Solomon Islands.

A greensnout parrotfish (Scarus spinus) on a reef in the Solomon Islands. Parrotfish have mesmorizing color patterns!

Blenny larva on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.

A cardinalfish larva shows off its beatiful fan-like pelvic fins on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.

Goatfish larva (about 2") on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.

This Meyer's butterflyfish (Chaetodon meyersi) larva is about to settle on the reef. At close to 2", Meyer's butterflyfish settle out much larger than other butterflyfishes.

Blacktail barracuda (Sphyraena qenie) school on a reef in the Solomon Islands.

A checkerboard wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanu) races across the reef.

A recently settled juvenile Meyer's butterflyfish (Chaetodon meyersi)

Oblique-lined dottyback (Cypho purpurascens) color morph. The body color of this species is usally more reddish-pink.

Longfin spadefish (Platax teira) juveniles reflect off the surface in the Solomon Islands.

Longfin spadefish (Platax teira) juveniles on a shallow reef in the Solomon Islands.

Scorpionfish larva from below on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.

A male reef lizardifish (Synodus variegatus) yawns with the female close behind. Lizardfish live a solitary lifestyle, except when spawning.

Squirrelfish larva on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.

A pair of orange-dashed gobies (Valenciennea puellaris) in the Solomon Islands.

Cornetfish Fistularia commersonii) larva on a bonfire dive in the Solomon Islands.

Princess damsel (Pomacentrus vaiuli). What a gorgeous fish!

Three pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion) peek out from their balled up host anemone.

Bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) motion blur.

Head on view of twospot lizardfish (Synodus binotatus).

An anemone and its resident clownfish under palm trees and blue skies in the Solomon Islands.

A spinecheek anemonefish female (Premnas biaculeatus) fanning its eggs as the male looks on in the background.

Mmm...Yummy! A yellow dog-faced puffer (Arothron nigropunctatus) samples the tip of a Montipora coral. In puffers, the beak forms from 4 front teeth that fuse during juvenile development.

A yawning honeyhead damsel (Dischistodus prosopotaenia).

A clown triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum) races across the reef in the Solomon islands.

The beautuful redbreasted wrasse (C. fasciatus) on a reef in the Solomon Islands.

Three clownfish (A. perideraion) line up in their anemone home.

A spotted sweetlip (P.chaetodonoides) under a gorgonian.

A pair of orange-finned anemonefish (A. chrysopterus) under sun rays settle in for the night.

A pair of orange-finned anemonefish (A. chrysopterus) under sun rays settle in for the night.

Three clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in an orange mantled anemone in the Solomon Islands.

Two clownfish (A. ocellaris) in an orange mantled anemone.

Squid larva feeding on a larval mantis shrimp.

An octopus larva hitches a ride on a leaf on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.

A reef squid on a bonfire dive in the Solomon Islands.

Reef squid in defense posture.

I found a large aggregation of several hundred moon jellyfish in the lee of a small island in open ocean. Moon jellyfish aggregate under favorable (slack current) conditions to reproduce sexually.

A cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) at dusk.

Gorgonians on a deep reef in the Solomon islands.

A crinoid (Crinoid sp) looking stylish at night.

The rare sight of a leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriace) feeding on thimble jellyfish.

The beautuful redbreasted wrasse (C. fasciatus) cruising over reef in the Solomon Islands.

A male Beau's wrasse (Cirrhilabrus beauperryi).

Soft coral reef scene in the Solomon Islands.

Peacock flounder (Bothus mancus) larva on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands. Note that the right eye still needs to migrate to the left side before the fish is considered a juvenile.

November is larval fish recruitment time in the Solomon Islands and the reefs are loaded with juvenile surgeonfish. Juvenile striped surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) are especially common on open ocean reef flats in less than 3 feet of water. This is one of my favorite Acanthurids.